1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device carrier for a coupling head for the automatic coupling of couplable vehicles, wherein the device carrier comprises a plurality of the components necessary for realizing the automatic coupling and/or decoupling.
Couplings of modern design usually consist of three basic modules. The coupling block is that part which is anchored in the car body of a couplable vehicle. A coupling rod connects the coupling block with the coupling head. The coupling head is the actual active part of a coupling. It ultimately serves in actually producing the operative interaction for coupling the next couplable vehicle. To this end, the coupling head comprises a number of active and passive elements which enable automatic coupling and/or decoupling. The term “coupling” in this regard refers to producing a force-fit connection between the coupling of one couplable vehicle and another coupling of another couplable vehicle. The term “decoupling” is therefore to be understood as the disengaging of such a connection between two adjacent couplable vehicles connected by couplings. The term “coupling procedure” in the following will therefore refer to both coupling as well as decoupling.
The active and passive components which actively or passively support a coupling procedure are auxiliary aggregates which interact with the structural framework of a coupling head. The structural framework of a coupling head in this sense is to be understood as the supporting element for the coupling head. Active or passive components of this type can be, for example, pneumatic valves, hydraulic valves, pneumatic cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, terminal boxes for connecting electrical connections and also connecting rods (actuating mechanisms) for supporting an automatic coupling procedure. The cited components, auxiliary aggregates respectively, must be disposed on the coupling head in order to ensure full functioning.
2. The Prior Art
FIG. 3 shows a solution known from the prior art in which the components necessary to realize the automatic coupling and/or decoupling are individually mounted to the structural framework of the coupling head. In order to achieve an appropriate individual fixing of the components to the coupling head framework, mounting brackets or other mounts 107 are provided at a plurality of different locations. These can either be welded or bolted on or also be cast together with the basic structure of the coupling head. When assembling a complete coupling head it is therefore necessary to position and individually mount each respective component at the respective location provided for same on the coupling head. Due to this individual mounting, assembly entails great effort. In addition, reassembling all the components which have been removed from the coupling head for maintenance purposes when checking the interaction of the components during function testing on a test stand is extremely laborious. For assembly purposes as well as maintenance work, a coupling head of substantially modular configuration would therefore be desirable.